Cosmetics directive

For all these reasons, some European regulations foresee the use of methods alternative to animal testing, such as the REACH legislation [2], and actually the cosmetics directive [3] foresees the complete ban of animal tests for cosmetics by 2013. 

However, this request of more animal testing faces several issues. There is an ethical concern on the millions of animals used every year for experiments. These tests are also those more expensive, and thus this poses questions about the costs for these experiments and the resources to cover them. Many of these tests, especially the chronic ones, require long times, years in some cases. The number of available laboratories in Europe to cover this potential request is insufficient. For all these reasons, some European regulations foresee the use of methods alternative to animal tests, such as the REACH legislation, and actually the cosmetics directive foresees the complete ban of animal tests for cosmetics by 2013. 

Cosmetics Directive (76/768/EEC with several ATPs and amendments) EU... 

In Europe, the developmental toxicity testing (including teratogenicity) of new cosmetic ingredients is performed according to the Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC only alternatives leading to full replacement of animal experiments should be used. This chapter presents the three scientifically validated animal alternative methods for the assessment of embryotoxicity the embryonic stem cell test (EST), the micromass (MM) assay, and the whole embryo culture (WEC) assay. 

Key words Teratogenicity testing. Cosmetics, Cosmetic ingredients, EU Cosmetic Directive... 

Cosmetic ingredients are natural or synthesized chemicals entering in the preparation/formulation of cosmetic products. According to the Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC (1), cosmetic products placed on the market must not cause damage to human health when applied under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use. The cosmetics manufacturers have to ensure the safety of their cosmetic products prior to marketing. However, the European Commission can adopt, on the basis of advice of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP), measures to limit or to forbid the commercialization of cosmetic products containing ingredients with safety concerns. 

The Cosmetics Directive prohibits the testing of finished cosmetic products and cosmetic ingredients on animals since 11 March 2009 (testing ban) for all human health effects with the exception... 

The Animal Testing Ban prohibits the use of in vivo animal assays in the EU to meet the requirements of the Cosmetics Directive for finished products (since 11 September 2004) and ingredients/ combinations of ingredients (gradually with the validation and adoption of alternative methods up to a strict prohibition as of 11 March 2009). 

European Commission—Consumer Affairs. Consolidated version of Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC. http //ec. europa. eu/consumers / sectors / cosmetics / documents / directive / h2 -consolidated-version-of-cosmetics-direc-tive-76/768/eec. Accessed 30 Dec 2011... 

Europoean Commission—Timetables for the phasing of animal testing in the framework of the 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive, http // ec.europa.eu/consumers/sectors/ cosmetics / files/doc / antest/sec 2004 1210 en.pdf. Accessed 09 Jan 2011... 

In Europe, the Cosmetics Directive of the European Union (EU) has implemented a ban on animal testing of finished cosmetic... 

Essential oils are also influenced by legislation that regulates specific products that may contain these oils, e,g,. the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the European Community Cosmetic Directive. Essential oils would not be anticipated to be of environmental concern, considering that they originate from botanical sources, Thus, natural processes exist to degrade essential oils and recycle their components effectively in the environment,... 

Report for establishing the timetable for phasing out animal testing for the purpose of the cosmetics directive. http //dg3.eudra.org/F3/cosmetic/AnimalTest.htm. 

This is currently a hot topic in the EU, evident by the recent ban on the testing of cosmetic products on animals under the EU Cosmetics Directive [105]. In vitro cell cultures usually originate from a live animal so, ultimately, some animal sacrifice is necessary. Some synthetic systems do exist, such as serru-permeable membranes to model tissue passive transport. 

The cosmetics industry is another chemical chooser ripe for change. The European Union amended its Cosmetics Directive in January 2003 to outlaw carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxicants in cosmetics. Member states of the European Union are required to comply by September 2004.71 Not only will companies marketing cosmetics in Europe need to change formulations, but companies marketing cosmetics in the United States will either need to follow suit or argue to American women that they need not worry about the risks from such chemicals. These and other such choices will flow down the supply chain to chemical producers. 

European Union. Consolidated cosmetics directive, http //ec.europa.eu/ enterprise/cosmetics/html/consolidated dir. htm... 

Balls M, et al. Development and vahdation of non-animal tests and testing strategies The identification of a coordinated response to the challenge and the opportunity presented by the sixth amendment to the Cosmetics Directive (76/768/EEC). ECVAN workshop report 7, ATLA 1995 23 398-409. 

Kaluzhny Y, Kandarova H, Hayden P, Kubilus J, D Argembeau-Thornton L, Klausner M (2011) Development of the EpiOcular(TM) eye irritation test for hazard identification and labelling of eye irritating chemicals in response to the requirements of the EU cosmetics directive and REACH legislation. Altern Lab Anim 39 339-364... 

---